Patterns with Purpose: How Beck Ng Blends Art, Fabric and Joy

Beck Ng, a surface designer and maker based in Melbourne, Australia, has transformed her lifelong love of making things into a thriving business. Through her brand, Fabric Drawer, she brings vibrant, nature-inspired patterns to life, creating products that delight customers and celebrate the beauty of everyday moments. In this interview with Artisan Joy, Beck shares her journey from childhood creativity to building her own brand, the realities of running a creative business and the joys and challenges along the way.

How did you get started creating your creative product?

I've always been creative and loved making things as a child. It's something that continued through school (art was naturally my favorite subject), but I only started sewing around the time I attended university. I started making bags, but quickly realized it was impossible to find nice, patterned fabrics to use. Everything was very bland and unexciting. It was only years later, when I did a screen-printing short course while working as a graphic designer, that I started to become fascinated with repeating patterns and the idea of designing my own fabric and products.

When did you realize that you could turn your artwork or creative product into a business?

While I enjoyed parts of work and learning aspects of corporate graphic design, I was always designing to a client brief. So the desire to create product was less about creating a business and more about wanting to explore the kind of art that I liked. I spent a bit of time just making patterns and learning about creating pattern collections before I started to print them onto fabric and make them into products. It was a slow and organic process, but when I started doing markets and people were buying my products, it was really motivating to continue and turn it into a business.

How do you define success for your business?

I think being in a position to start a small business is in itself a success, as not many people, and not many women in the world, can spend time following their creative passions. I think I am trying harder to realize that success comes from within, that it's more about being able to create art that feels authentic to me, or is just pure fun and joy to illustrate and make. That said, a business needs to make money in order to keep going, so I think success for me is that merging of creating what you love and having customers and clients who want to buy your products or license your work.

Where do you find inspiration for your work?

Nature, travel, and my life living in Melbourne.

What's one piece of advice you wish someone had given you when you first started your business?

Don't hold back. Just experiment and try new things. Take some risks, make mistakes and learn from them. It's okay not to get it right. I am naturally a cautious person who is also a bit of a perfectionist, so pushing myself in my business is sometimes a challenge for me.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start selling their art or creative product?

Just start. Don't keep dreaming or talking about it, just do. Once you put your work out into the world, you'll learn something from it, and you can go back and refine or completely change things up. It takes a lot of time and hard work, too.

What's something our audience would be surprised to learn about you?

I wanted to be a professional tennis player growing up. I used to play a lot of tennis as a child and teenager, so there was one point in my life when I thought that's what I would do. Although my kids now play, I hardly have a hit of tennis, but I do want to get back into it.

How do you handle perfectionism when creating?

I have always been a perfectionist, but over the years, probably after having kids, I think I have learned to let go a little. I just don't have the time to sit and refine things over and over again. Near enough is good enough now. That said, making sure my products are high quality is really important to me. I don't sell items if there is something that I don't think is up to standard, because I want to make sure people who choose to buy my products are happy with what they purchase.

What's something that surprised you about running a creative business?

You constantly need to hustle, whether you are starting out or have been doing it for years. And even though you started a creative business so you could just spend your days doing your own creative things, the time you actually have to create is minimal! You end up spending it on admin tasks, website, marketing and social media.

What’s your advice for handling the highs and lows of running a business?

I feel like I am in the midst of dealing with this now, because after a busy couple of years, things have slowed down for me, which has affected my motivation. It's challenging at the moment because the cost of living is getting higher, so people aren't spending as much. That means I don't have as much to invest in new or more product. The surface design industry is also quite competitive, with more designers entering into the field, competing for collaborations and licensing opportunities. I keep circling back to "keep going" and getting back to creating the art. In terms of the highs, I think it's important to take the time to acknowledge and celebrate those milestones and your hard work. You need the lows to appreciate those highs, too!

Has someone ever criticized your work? How did you handle it?

Early on, I remember one comment that my work looked similar to another brand, so that really pushed me to continue to develop my own style, even though I felt it was different. I've had negative feedback about my products before, so I always try to take that feedback onboard to improve the product or replace if needed, as well as always communicate with the customer.

What's a cause you are passionate about?

I have a few different causes I donate to because there is so much need right now in so many different areas. I think anything that has to do with helping children is important. UNICEF is one organization that I support. www.unicef.org.au

Can you share the name of a supplier or vendor that you use for your business that you just love—one that makes running your business a bit easier?

I've been using the digital fabric printer Next State in Melbourne, Australia, for years for my zip pouches. I love that I can support a local business for my own business.

What brings you joy?

Outside of creating, I love travel. It's a bit of a luxury now with kids, but I have learned so much from seeing parts of the world. Getting into the creative flow of a pattern still brings me lots of joy, as well as when people choose to spend their hard-earned money on a product you have lovingly made or designed!

Thanks, Beck! You can learn more about her work at fabricdrawer.com.au.

Editor’s Note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.